Carmarthen taxi firm driver fined £400

A Carmarthen taxi firm owner has been fined £400 for driving one of his own vehicles when he was no longer a licensed driver.
Stephen Paul Dunn, of Steve’s Taxis in Carmarthen, was licensed as a driver by Carmarthenshire County Council until March last year.
Carmarthen Magistrates Court was told that on May 24 last year, after receiving an allegation that Mr Dunn had been seen driving a Hackney Carriage, officers hand delivered a letter to Mr Dunn and told him verbally that as he was no longer a licensed driver, he could not drive a hackney Carriage Vehicle at any time.
Mr Dunn was also informed that should he drive a Hackney Carriage without a Taxi driver’s licence, he would be liable to prosecution.
Then on June 12 Mr Dunn was seen by a council licensing officer at Lesneven Bridge, Carmarthen, driving a Hackney Carriage with a passenger in the vehicle.
He was prosecuted by the county council for an offence under Section 47 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847.
Magistrates convicted Mr Dunn in his absence, fined him £400 and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £458.67 and a victim surcharge of £40.